


Seeing those tired eyes (and dreaming they were happy)

by Delirious_Insanity



Series: Tired, in more ways than one [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Emotionally Repressed, Gen, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, POV Jim "Chief" Hopper, Protective Jim "Chief" Hopper, Realization, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Tired Steve Harrington
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27934993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delirious_Insanity/pseuds/Delirious_Insanity
Summary: He saw those eyes everytime he looked at Steve, even when he was smiling and laughing. Hopper saw it when he zoned out, his face going carefully blank as his eyes stared into nothing.His heart hurt for the boy, a boy he couldn't save.A boy who yelled in volumes of silence, who screamed and cried through eyes that told every story.A boy that couldn't save himself, and had given up on anyone ever saving him.
Relationships: Brief Jim "Cheif" Hopper & Billy Hargrove, Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper
Series: Tired, in more ways than one [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042470
Comments: 4
Kudos: 85





	Seeing those tired eyes (and dreaming they were happy)

Jim Hopper knew the look.

The look of someone who has given up, of someone who is simply surviving. He has seen it on Hargrove's face multiple times, although the boy would never admit to any of it. 

He honestly never thought he'd see it on Steve Harrington's face. The boy was always so happy with the kids, driving them around and hosting game nights. However, he personally knew that acting happy and being happy were not the same.

He first saw it the night Steve got involved, when they got rid of the Upside Down for the first time. 

Steve was listening to Hopper talk, explaining the NDA's and everything that went with them.

Hopper had looked up to make sure he understood, but he only saw the empty, tired eyes that spoke volumes. 

Steve spoke as soon as Hopper asked, saying he understood and signed every piece of paper, his face blank. 

Hopper doesn't like to think about the bruises he saw underneath Steve's shirt when he stretched, his torso different shades of blues and yellows. 

It irritated him, because he knew what was going on, but he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't catch non-existent parents, even if he tried for a child neglect charge. They could pay off the judge with more than triple his own check. 

He saw those eyes everytime he looked at Steve, even when he was smiling and laughing. Hopper saw it when he zoned out, his face going carefully blank as his eyes stared into nothing. 

His heart hurt for the boy, a boy he couldn't save. 

A boy who yelled in volumes of silence, who screamed and cried through eyes that told every story. 

A boy that couldn't save himself, and had given up on anyone ever saving him. 

~~~

It was worse the night Billy Hargrove got involved. 

Hopper watched as realisation leaked into Steve's eyes just moments after staring into Hargrove's unconscious face. 

He watched as Steve loaded him into the camaro, drove him home, then walked all the way back for his own car. 

He ignored the hurt he felt when Steve left as soon as he reached the car door, but he had to worry about Jane, make sure she was safe. 

Hopper kicked himself later when he realised that Steve's parents were home, hurting their single child. 

Only to leave as soon as the sun rose above the horizon. 

He kicked himself because he knew what Steve saw in the window, a family getting together and being happy while he had to go back to a terrible one. 

He never felt so much like a failed parent parent in his life.

~~~

Hopper noticed when Steve realised he knew. 

There wasn't a celebration, there wasn't a pleading to help. No anger for doing nothing, no shame for what was happening.

Instead, he nodded to him, smiling his earnest, fake smile that looked real, until you looked into his eyes. 

And Hopper could see it clearly now, clearer than ever before. 

Steve was tired, hurt, judged, lonely. 

But most of all, Hopper saw that Billy Hargrove was the exact same way. He knew Hargrove was like Steve, but now he saw they were one in the same. 

And it seemed like Steve knew it as well.


End file.
